Shopping malls across America have been left in a state that not even Paul Blart could save, and Richmond is no exception.
Known as “dead malls,” these abandoned, dilapidated, or mostly vacant shopping centers have become a subject of fascination — especially thanks to the online popularity of liminal space aesthetics.
Let’s go to the mall
Regency Square Mall was once in its heydey, boasting stores like JC Penney and Thalhimers and a food court that was added in the late ‘80s. Photo archives show the mall bustling with life during the holidays and a parking lot packed with cars in 1990. By 2019, however, the mall was left with only JCPenney as an anchor.
Regency Square Mall’s JCPenney circa 2019.
Photo by Elyse Horvath via Flickr
Approximately 10 miles away, Cloverleaf Mall opened in 1972 as the largest indoor shopping center in the area. Locals may remember its 20-ft pool + various plants adorning the mall’s interior. After slowly losing tenants and sitting mostly empty, Cloverleaf officially closed in 2008, with mall demolition beginning in 2011.
Once a thriving meeting space at Cloverleaf Mall, circa 2011.
Photo by Will Fisher via Flikr
Back to the future
Today, Regency Square Mall is still around, but not as it once was. Plans to redevelop the mall into a mixed-use space have been in progress for many years now, and the mall was partially razed in 2020.
People walk through half-shuttered, half-open stores to take kids to Surge Trampoline Park, a trendy destination within the mall today. Further developments include new apartments and an anticipated monster mini-golf course.
As for Cloverleaf Mall, it became Stonebridge Shopping Center — a multi-use outlet with restaurants, specialty shops, and a Kroger.
Though these malls have changed, Richmond still has a number of thriving shopping centers that carry on the legacy of in-person retail universes:
- Willow Lawn | This former indoor mall is now a sprawling shopping center with retail and restaurants. Further mixed-use development is also in the cards.
- Short Pump Town Center | The outdoor mall, bustling during the holiday seasons, recently celebrated 20 years of business in Henrico.
- Stony Point Fashion Park | The Huguenot shopping center is home to major retailers, local dining, and a CMX CinéBistro.
- Chesterfield Towne Center | This indoor shopping center opened in 1975 and boasts anchor stores like TJ Maxx, JCPenney, and Macy’s.
Shopping for nostalgia
Do you have memories of a local mall from back in the day? Share them with us and we may feature your story in a future newsletter: First date at the food court, trying on prom dresses at the department store, hitting up Orange Julius before picking up the perfect graphic tee at Hot Topic — we wanna hear it all.
